The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-15
The Coroner's Jury Returns Verdict Charg.
ing Him with the Characterization
that the Prisoner Is of Unsound Mind.
Potent Reasons Why the United States
Cannot Protect Kalakaua's Islands.
Old Fashioned Bourbon Democrats Have Ne
Love for Cleveland and Will Not Sup
port Him-0ther Washington News.


Finding OF the Coroner's Jnry-The Question
of the Prisoners Sanity.
Special to tho Indianapolis Journal
WASHING TON, July 14.-The jury OF promi-
nent citizens sum .noned to hold au inquest over
the remains Of J. q G. Kennedy who was stabbed
to death yesterday evening by the worthless
DAILY. was sworn in at the late residence of the
dead man this morning in the room where the
corpse lay. 1t was an impressive scene. The
body was nude. as it was being prepared for tho
casket. the face being covered with handker-
chief and the gaping wound with cloth.
The jurors gathered around the body and
each with his right hand extended grasped
the Bible. In that attitude with the Bible i'm :
medately over tho Gaping wound, the oath
was administered. The coroner removed the
bandage from the wound that the jury might
see it. The cut a frightful in the right
side of the abdomen. and two and half or three
inches long, The coroner, jury and witnesses
then went to the station house. where the testi
mony was taken. number of witnesses who
were present when the murder committed
told their stories, and after deliberation the
jury rendered their verdict. which was to the
effect "that Joseph @. G. Kennedy came te his
death about 8 o'clock p. NJ. July 13, 1887. at
the corner of Fifteenth street and New York
avenue northwest, City OF Washington, D. c..
from wound in the abdomen, inflicted with q
knife. held in tho hands of John DAILY"
Mrs. Kennedy was much better this after
noon. She had been told of her husbands death,
and, while greatly shocked at the occurrences
was inclined to take it philosophicaliy. The
funeral of the murdered man will take place on
Saturday afternoon, at 5 o'clock.
A representative of the Journal called at tho
station to-day and was shown to the cell of the
murderer Daily. He is short. thick-set. and
about fifty years of age, and in facial appearance
is not unlike Guiteau. AS the reporter pesre{
through the iron bars of the cell the prisones
turned q look of cold unconeern upon him with
a pair of weak blue eyes that carried no express
sion Of intelligence.
..Have you anything to say about this affairs
'.Nothing to say to the newspapers. Wheu
the trial is over and everything is brought out
that they find out. then will make
fession. did not kill the man for money.
am not sorry that did it expect to be hanged
for it. and will meet it like man. was sick
and poor. I went to the almshouse hospital in
March, 1856. Yesterday the doctor said to me:
You are hummer; you are not sick; go away
from here came out sick and all out of sorts.
My system filed with drugs I was in
trouble and without money. This man Kennedy
had robbed me of what I ought to have. I
wanted to get even with him. took this knife.
which I sharpened last summer, and killed him.
II the doctor had not sent me from the hospital
yesterday this would not have happened. have
been driven to murder"
During the progress of tho inquest Daily sat
in q corner Of the room, his eyes downcast,
fumbling with q handkerchief. As detail after
detail OF the horrible tragedy recised, the
prisoner sat unmoved. not muscle twitching,
and seemingly perfectly unconcerned as to what
was going on around him. His unconcern wal
that Of insanity rather than brutality. This
vacant look in the face the lack of luster in the
eyes and his general expression betokened dis
eased mind.